Primitives Hires New Director of Sales & Acquisitions

Primitives has hired Katie Pike, ex-Paramount and ViacomCBS executive, as its new director of sales and acquisitions.

“I am thrilled to be joining Primitives at such a positive moment,” said Pike. “Simone [de Pruyssenaere de la Woestyne] and the team are doing incredibly well in an exceptionally challenging market, and there’s a real sense of momentum and ambition around the company. For me, joining Primitives feels like the next logical step in my career. After a deeply rewarding 14 years at Paramount/CBS working on some of the most successful formats of the past, I’m looking forward to bringing my knowledge and experience to a company that looks to redefine the formats industry of the future.”

Pike is set to begin her new role on February 1, joining Primitives from Paramount Global Content Distribution, where she served as director of formats. Her repertoire spans across unscripted franchises including Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, Hollywood Squares, Carpool Karaoke, Next Top Model and Ex on the Beach.

Pike will work closely with Pruyssenaere de la Woestyne, who took over from Jan Huyse as Primitives’ managing director. Pruyssenaere de la Woestyne will continue to oversee all sales and acquisitions to Benelux, Nordics, Germany and France, while Pike will represent the company partnerships in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Spain, Italy, Portugal, the Middle East, Turkey and Asia. London-based sales and acquisitions manager Emma Gosling will continue to service clients in the U.K., Australia and CEE.

“This is a defining moment for Primitives, which has performed above and beyond expectations in the last year,” said Pruyssenaere de la Woestyne. “99 to Beat’s ongoing success points to broadcasters’ faith in returnable entertainment formats—and the fact that we’ve seen a 50:50 split between new licenses and recommissions shows there’s also room for fresh new formats, which is an uplifting thought! Against this backdrop, Katie’s experience and perspective will be invaluable. She comes to us with an outstanding track record, along with a sharp business mindset and a collaborative approach that fits perfectly with our culture. I’m very much looking forward to working with her as we continue to grow Primitives together.”